Engineered beam with adjustable angle connection

Abstract

A system for providing an angled construction or bent beam construction. Such system may include a first beam comprising a first elongated beam segment having a first interlocking joint portion at one end, and a second beam comprising a second elongated beam segment having a second interlocking joint at one end, wherein the first interlocking joint portion is configured to rotatably couple to the second interlocking joint to form a rotatable joint such that the angle between the first beam and the second beam is adjustable.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for providing an angled construction, the system comprising:
 a first beam including a first interlocking joint portion at one end; and   a second beam including a second interlocking joint portion at one end;   wherein the first beam and the second beam are respectively formed from multiple layers, wherein the multiple layers of the first beam and the second beam form respective protrusions or recesses of a respective first or second interlocking joint portion, and   wherein the first interlocking joint portion is configured to rotatably couple to the second interlocking joint portion to form a rotatable joint such that an angle between the first beam and the second beam is adjustable.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first interlocking joint portion comprises at least one protrusion and at least one recess; and   the second interlocking joint portion comprises at least one recess corresponding to each of the at least one protrusion of the first interlocking joint portion and protrusions corresponding to each of the at least one recess of the first interlocking joint portion.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the first beam and second beam form a stringer for a staircase. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the stringer supports at least one riser to define a step. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the staircase is formed without additional supports. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the rotatable joint is configured to fixedly attach the first beam and the second beam by at least one of an adhesive, screw, nail, pin, and bolt. 
     
     
         27 . A method for providing an angled construction, the method comprising:
 removably coupling a first beam to a second beam to create a rotatable joint, the first beam comprising a first interlocking joint portion at one end and the second beam comprising a second interlocking joint portion at one end, wherein the rotatable joint is formed by coupling the first interlocking joint portion and the second interlocking joint portion;   rotating at least one of the first beam or the second beam about the rotatable joint to achieve a desired angle between the first beam and the second beam; and   fixedly attaching the first beam and the second beam at the rotatable joint,   wherein the first beam and the second beam each respectively have multiple layers, wherein the multiple layers of the first beam and the second beam form respective protrusions or recesses of a respective first or second interlocking joint portion.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first beam and the second beam are fixedly attached by at least one of an adhesive, screw, nail, pin, and bolt. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising, utilizing the fixedly attached first beam and second beam in one or more of a hip roof, cathedral ceiling, roof above a dormer, stairs, or horizontally bent purlin. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising,
 forming a stringer for a staircase with the first beam and second beams.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the stringer supports at least one riser to define a step. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the staircase is formed without additional supports. 
     
     
         33 . A beam comprising an elongated beam segment having,
 a first end and a second end and a length therebetween and an interlocking joint portion extending from the second end, the interlocking joint portion having at least one protrusion and at least one recess,   wherein the elongated beam segment has a layered structure comprising:   at least one recess layer having a first length extending for the length of the elongated beam segment; and   at least one protrusion layer having a second length greater than the first length to form the interlocking joint portion,   wherein the at least one recess layer and the at least one protrusion layer are rigidly attached to each other.   
     
     
         34 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein the elongated beam segment is configured to be installed as a hip roof, a stringer for a staircase, cathedral ceiling, roof above a dormer, stairs, or horizontally bent purlin. 
     
     
         35 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the at least one protrusion has a circular cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the at least one protrusion; and   the at least one protrusion is configured to be attached within at least one recess within a second elongated beam segment, such that the longitudinal axis of the at least one protrusion of the beam is aligned in parallel with at least one protrusion of the second elongated beam segment.   
     
     
         36 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one protrusion has a diameter greater than a width of the elongated beam segment. 
     
     
         37 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein a thickness of the at least one protrusion is less than the thickness of the elongated beam segment to allow interdigitation with a protrusion of an opposite beam. 
     
     
         38 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one recess layer and the at least one protrusion layer have multiple layers. 
     
     
         39 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein the beam forms a stringer for a staircase, and wherein the stringer supports at least one riser to define a step. 
     
     
         40 . The beam of  claim 33 , wherein the beam forms a stringer for a staircase, and wherein the staircase is formed without additional supports.